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Visitor Comments: 8

(6)
Mordechai Shuali,
September 2, 2014 8:30 PM

50% Adult or 100% 10 Year Old

Erickson (and in reality it is a Medrash) discusses the stages of growth in terms of social/psychological/physical challenges/tests/needs.

It can be summed up by the following: A 10 year old is NOT 50% adult, but rather 100% 10 year old. Newborns, children, teens, young adults, and adults have needs. Addressing those needs and clearing the various hurdles, are what creates a well developed, well adjusted individuals, prepared to face the challenges of the next stage of life. That is all the teacher was trying to teach. She was more aware of and caring for the needs of her student than the father was. The father's selfish need to live/accomplish vicariously through his son is spiritual/psychological homicide. The mother understood.

Baruch,
September 8, 2014 9:28 PM

King Solomon said it best...

Chanoch Lana'ar Al Pi Darko... each child needs their learning to be tailored to who they are.

This was a brilliant scene, capturing the difficulty of that challenge. The teacher saw the child's basic educational and social needs, but utterly failed to grasp the greatness of the boy's talent. The father did the exact opposite, realizing the unique opportunity to nurture the talent of his son for an intellectual challenge worthy of mastery. The mother, with her caring, could have brought the 2 together and built a bridge, enhancing their points, but instead tried to stifle the conflict in her confusion.

Good chinuch is indeed one of the greatest of challenges.

(5)
Anonymous,
August 28, 2014 3:41 PM

The teacher seems to be concerned for the child-being well rounded and appreciating what most people appreciate such as important historical sites as opposed to hotel rooms. What else was he lacking-social awareness and skills?-which are important for a happy well rounded life as well. Having a great talent can be the seeds for admiration and acceptance by others if one has an appreciation for other people and the skills to foster those relationships or it can lead to social isolation.

(4)
Oscar Abraham,
August 27, 2014 6:40 AM

not Bobby Fischer

No wants to be like Bobby Fischer. He was certainly a chess genius. A failure at everything else. A virulent anti-semite on top of his overall paranoia.

(3)
Jaya,
August 27, 2014 12:14 AM

Searching !

Why were the parents so touchy ? What was the teacher trying to say ? I am at a loss , she deserved to be heard , she appeared like a well wisher , no , this confuses me !

Alan S.,
August 28, 2014 12:00 AM

Actually, the teacher, in effect, was questioning the child's desire to excel at chess, and also questioning the parent's right to raise his child as he saw fit. I am not a teacher, but I do not think this is the place of a teacher. She wouldn't question a parent or child that excelled at sports. The teacher was injecting herself into the family dynamic without right.

(2)
Alan S.,
August 24, 2014 10:44 PM

Every normal parent does what they can to foster greatness when they see their child excel at something. Of course, this can vary. But at the very least, the child can expect that s/he will get their parent's full acceptance. In this scene, the child saw his father stand up for him and what they both believed in. This is the very least that a parent can do to foster greatness.

(1)
Bobby5000,
August 24, 2014 10:27 PM

Chess and article

Interesting piece. Whether you want your chid to be a prodigy is tough and the movie about Bobby Fischer's sad life, social inadeptness, and lack of family relationships must also be considered. While Josh is a very good chessplayer, that is relative.

The story goes Waitzin went to Russia and met the great trainer Dvoretsky. Apologetically the chess trainer says he cannot teach Josh because his programs are designed only for advanced players. The father explain Josh's rating and U.S. standing. Dvoretsky smiles saying I know who your son is, but he does not have an international title and in my program, he would be considered an intermediate player.

This year during Chanukah I will be on a wilderness survival trip, and it will be very difficult to properly celebrate the holiday. I certainty won't be able to bring along a Menorah.

So if I am going to celebrate only one day of Chanukah, which is the most significant?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

If a person can only celebrate one day of Chanukah, he should celebrate the first day.

This is similar to a case where a person is in prison, and the authorities agree to permit him to go to synagogue one day. The law is that he should go at the first opportunity, and not wait for a more important day like the High Holidays.

The reason is because one should not allow the opportunity of a mitzvah to pass. Moreover, it is quite conceivable that circumstances will later change and allow for additional observance. Therefore, we do not let the first chance pass. (Sources: Code of Jewish Law OC 90, Mishnah Berurah 28.)

As an important aside, Chanukah candles must be lit in (or at the entrance to) a home rather than out of doors. Thus, you should not light in actual "wilderness," but only after you've pitched your tent for the night.

There may be another reason why the first night is the one to focus on. Chanukah is celebrated for eight days to commemorate the one-day supply of oil that miraculously burned for eight days. But if you think about it, since there was enough oil to burn naturally for one night, nothing miraculous happened on that first night! So why shouldn't Chanukah be just seven days?!

There are many wonderful answers given to this question, highlighting the special aspect of the first day. Here are a few:

1) True, the miracle of the oil did not begin until the second day, and lasted for only seven days. But the Sages designated the first day of Chanukah in commemoration of the miraculous military victory.

2) Having returned to the Temple and found it in shambles, the Jews had no logical reason to think they would find any pure oil. The fact that the Maccabees didn't give up hope, and then actually found any pure oil at all, is in itself a miracle.

3) The Sages chose Chanukah, a festival that revolves around oil's ability to burn, as the time to teach the fundamental truth that even so-called "natural" events take place only because God wants them to.

The Talmudic Sage Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa expressed this truth in explaining a miracle that occurred in his own home. Once, his daughter realized that she had lit the Shabbos candles with vinegar instead of oil. Rabbi Chanina calmed her, saying, "Why are you concerned! The One Who commanded oil to burn, can also command vinegar to burn!" The Talmud goes on to say that those Shabbos lights burned bright for many hours (Taanit 25a).

To drive this truth home, the Sages decreed that Chanukah be observed for eight days: The last seven to commemorate the miracle of the Menorah, and the first to remind us that even the “normal” burning of oil is only in obedience to God's wish.

In closing, I'm not sure what's stopping you from celebrating more than one day? At a minimum, you can light one candle sometime during the evening, and that fulfills the mitzvah of Chanukah - no “official Menorah” necessary. With so much joy to be had, why limit yourself to one night only?!

In 165 BCE, the Maccabees defeated the Greek army and rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Finding only one jar of pure oil, they lit the Menorah, which miraculously burned for eight days. Also on this day -- 1,100 years earlier -- Moses and the Jewish people completed construction of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that accompanied them during 40 years of wandering in the desert. The Tabernacle was not dedicated, however, for another three months; tradition says that the day of Kislev 25 was then "compensated" centuries later -- when the miracle of Chanukah occurred and the Temple was rededicated. Today, Jews around the world light a Chanukah menorah, to commemorate the miracle of the oil, and its message that continues to illuminate our lives today.

A person who utilizes suffering to arouse himself in spiritual matters will find consolation. He will recognize that even though the suffering was difficult for him, it nevertheless helped him for eternity.

When you see yourself growing spiritually through your suffering, you will even be able to feel joy because of that suffering.

They established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name(Siddur).

Jewish history is replete with miracles that transcend the miracle of the Menorah. Why is the latter so prominently celebrated while the others are relegated to relative obscurity?

Perhaps the reason is that most other miracles were Divinely initiated; i.e. God intervened to suspend the laws of nature in order to save His people from calamity.

The miracle of the Menorah was something different. Having defeated the Seleucid Greek invaders, the triumphant Jews entered the Sanctuary. There they found that they could light the Menorah for only one day, due to a lack of undefiled oil. Further, they had no chance of replenishing the supply for eight days. They did light the Menorah anyway, reasoning that it was best to do what was within their ability to do and to postpone worrying about the next day until such worry was appropriate. This decision elicited a Divine response and the Menorah stayed lit for that day and for seven more.

This miracle was thus initiated by the Jews themselves, and the incident was set down as a teaching for all future generations: concentrate your efforts on what you can do, and do it! Leave the rest to God.

While even our best and most sincere efforts do not necessarily bring about miracles, the teaching is nevertheless valid. Even the likelihood of failure in the future should not discourage us from any constructive action that we can take now.

Today I shall...

focus my attention on what it is that I can do now, and do it to the best of my ability.

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